


Authenticity

by Azzandra



Series: Meeting the Parents [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Ambiguous Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Established Relationship, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23120593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azzandra/pseuds/Azzandra
Summary: And now, not even understanding what she had done, Byleth had won his mother over with one little observation. It was not the ring on Yuri's finger that proved to his mother that they were in love. It was that Byleth had that little nugget of knowledge about him.Byleth meets Yuri's mother.
Relationships: Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/My Unit | Byleth
Series: Meeting the Parents [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712692
Comments: 12
Kudos: 279





	Authenticity

It wasn't nerves. It couldn't be nerves, this shakiness in Yuri's hands as his mother pulled him into a hug. But when she drew back, she cradled his face and looked into his eyes--her palms soft and kind against his cheeks, just like when he'd been a child--and she raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, my little bird?" she asked him, her voice melodious as ever.

"Nothing, Mother," he said. "Everything is going right, for once. It's honestly a bit suspicious."

She laughed at his little joke, but it was her working laugh, the pleasant warm chuckles she pulled out around her clients. He knew why, because her eyes flicked to look over his shoulder, uncertain about his companion. He understood her caution. She knew the company he kept and probably more of the business he conducted than he would have liked; but then, back when she still plied her trade, he had probably known more of it than she would have liked, too.

"Mother," Yuri began, turning around to present his guest, "this is Byleth."

"Ah." Mother's eyebrows rose. "From your letters."

He couldn't quite read her tone, but he felt that shakiness again, more in his chest than his hands this time.

"Yes, from my letters," he confirmed. "The very same."

Byleth, who could be effortlessly charming at times, in her own bewildering way that Yuri had yet to understand, looked from him to his mother with a blank expression on her face. Then, stiffly, she raised a fist to her chest and bowed, formal and awkward.

"It's nice to meet you," Byleth said.

"Certainly," his mother said, taking Byleth's hands in hers and smiling. "Come inside, dear. Do you like tea?"

"Yes," Byleth answered, and then let herself be ushered inside.

Yuri followed at a more languid pace, watching in an amused sort of fascination as his mother managed to hold both ends of a conversation. Even though she was no longer forced to sell her time to get by, his mother had always been of a sociable disposition, able to put anyone at ease, whether they were a nervous client or a shy stranger. Yuri might have seen his charm as a gift from the Goddess, but really, he probably had his mother to thank for it more.

Byleth had a different kind of draw, entirely. Growing up as a mercenary was not the kind of thing that built up charm: it was a life that tended to make people coarse and steely-eyed, and the common folk tended to be uneasy around people who led a life of violence. But maybe Byleth had had a bit of Jeralt's charisma rub off on her, too. Her gestures of kindness were pragmatic, and lacking flourish: returning lost objects, fulfilling tedious errands.

And her words, even when lacking polish, or so few that they came across as curt, could strike deep, and sink close to the heart.

Yuri was momentarily distracted, so he did not hear what Byleth had said to make his mother laugh, but when she did, it wasn't fake anymore. It was her real laugh, bubbling up unexpectedly, and ending in a very unlady-like snort.

"Ah," Byleth said, and brought her teacup to her lips to hide her smile. Mother spotted it, however.

"What?" she asked, a bit defensive.

"He laughs just like that, too," Byleth replied.

Yuri felt his heart pound as his mother turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. 

He knew her fake laugh, and she knew his in turn. She knew it because every time he came back to her over the years, bringing her gold and making certain she lived comfortably, she had seen more of his rough edges sanded down, and then sharpened to a killing point. 

She had heard her little boy's giggle-snorts turn into a smooth, warm sound that could keep nobles wrapped around his little finger, and he knew whenever he looked at her that she would have sooner gone back to her old work than have him live under that mask every day. It was why it became easier, after a while, to send letters and go-betweens, rather than come to bring her the money himself.

And now, not even understanding what she had done, Byleth had won his mother over with one little observation. It was not the ring on Yuri's finger that proved to his mother that they were in love. It was that Byleth had that little nugget of knowledge about him.

"You'll be staying for dinner, I hope," his mother said.

"Yes," Byleth replied, blunt as ever.

"It would be a terrible waste to leave when we just got here," Yuri agreed.

And his mother just gave him that same arch look she'd give him as a child, when she wasn't the least bit fooled but let him get away with something anyway.


End file.
